Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-24
THE NORTHWEST
Sixteen Pages.
Thos. e. Powell Tells Why Ohio Was
Lost,

Lost.
Many reasons have been assigned why the
Democracy of Ohio suffered defeat in the
recent political contest, notwithstanding the
State is naturally a strong Republican one.--
Perhaps there is no man in the State more
able to sum up the situation than Mr.. Thos.
z. Powell, the Democratic candidate for
Governor. A reporter having called on him
and asking for his opinion on the result and
the causes tending to produce it, received
the following statement in reply:
IT see from the papers that great many
causes have been assigned for our losing the
State; one editor says the labor vote defeated
us, another that it was the German and sa-
loon element, and another that it was the
bringing of Gordon into the State after
Jackson's disloyal speech at Macon; but, in
my opinion, the principal reason was that
by the Endorsement of John Sherman, at
Toledo the campaign was given the charac-
ter of Presidential contest. The Republi-
can party, after having indorsed Sherman
as their candidate for President, felt that it
was absolutely necessary to carry Ohio.
They realized that under the circumstances,
the loss of Ohio this year would also indi-
cate that they would lose it in the fight of
ers from all sections of the country and put
an immense amount of money into the fight.
Sherman, by reason of his position in the
party, was able to command both; and even
with these great odds against US, our cam
paign was progressing in admirable shape
until jackson made his fanatical and disloyal
speech at Macon. Upon the heels of that,
General Gordon's coming. into the State
helped to excite the Republicans to such an
extent that they were able to turn the tide
against us. If Sherman had not been in
dorsed and the campaign had not assumed
the character of Presidential contest, we
would have defeated Foraker without any
doubt. think our party never made bet
ter fight under so many adverse circumstan-
ces than we did this year. Outside of the
large cities we made very considerable gains
and it was done in square and honorable
way upon principles and appealing to the
canvas. There never was more aggressive
fight made with 80 little money as we had to
carry on our canvas. We did not have a
single dollar moret than was expended in car
rying on our headquarters and paying print
ing, postage and telegraph bills. As a sam
ple of the infamous lies that were circulated
by the Republican committee and Governor
Foraker during the campaign, it was claimed
that we had large sums of money. Gov.
Foraker stating that the President had given
his check for $4,000. 1t was also stated that
both Mr.. DUNCAN and myself had secured
large sums of money at Washington through
the influence of the administration. Now
the fact is that the President was never asked
to contribute dollar, and neither the chair
man nor myself raised dollar at Washing
ton from any source whatever. The only
money that came from Washington was
three small voluntary contributions which
were forwarded to the committee, and they
aggregated just exactly $40. This was all
the money we received from that source.
We were compelled to engage in what was
substantially a Presidential contest with a
very small amount of money. In addition to
this, we had very great difficulty in securing
speakers. Most of the speaking campaign
was thrown upon comparatively small
number of Democrats who were IN the tield
nlmost all the campaign. On this account il
was ;mnossible for us to hold one-fourth oi
the meetings our friends in different parts Of
the State desired, and which we would have
held had We been supplied with speakers
We were compelled to leave many counties
90 without any meeting at all, while the Re
Snhiicans had a great many there. In addi
t;o,, I'd other difficulties encountered the Re
pnblicans in some way secured IN influence
of saloon men in Cincinnati and Cleveland
INT with all this, we were making as good .
camraign as could have been made unde
the circumstances, and would have reduced
the Republican plurality to at least 1000 If ]
hod not been for the fanatical and disloya
speeches Of jackson, at Macon,Ga This com
ing iust at the close Of the campaign worked
against us by influencing many in Ohit
aea;nst the South. Like oil other Demo
rsSts. in my speeches ] denounced jackson
and bis insane utterances as vigorously q
nossible. but there was not time enough y
conntaract the effect OF 1t. Up to the tim
oS Az Macon affair there was every Indica
ton throughout the State Of a very great re
sct;on aoainst Foraker's crusade against tn
Snnfh. and this affair, coming at the time
S;S isS many people to think that there wa
some ercnse for his conduct before they ha
time 10 ascertain the facts and become coo
Every intelligent man in Ohio now sees tht
Jnckson represented no one but himself, !
lis foolish and disunion utterancesi ana u